Editorial

Giving the true spirit of the season

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
And he lives in Slave Lake along with more elves and helpers than we can count.
Just over a month ago, food bank co-ordinator Trina Sunderman reported that the food bank was running dangerously low on foodstuffs. From that day the plea went out – every which way but loose – and the goods, and cash, began to roll in.
One of the first public attempts to restock the shelves came thanks to organizers of the annual Christmas Craft Sale at Northern Lakes College in this community. It charged admission of either a toonie or a food item for the food bank. In their tenth anniversary year, sale organizers have had many years experience at helping both Santas Anonymous and the food bank, and undoubtedly make food bank volunteers grin ear to ear with their donations.
Others that were among the first to haul literally ‘truckloads’ of food and toys (the latter, of course, was for Santas Anonymous) to the Friendship Centre was ‘Papa’ Joe Schultz, president of the Rec hockey league in this community. For the past number of years, Joe and his cohorts have organized a Rec league All Star game early in December, with the admission set at a food bank item or toy for Santas Anonymous.
Again this year fans packed the arena ‘to the rafters’, and consequently the back of Joe’s pickup filled quickly.
Days later it was another group that was hauling it booty to the Friendship Centre, effectively filling the food bank shelves – and then some.
That initiative was thanks to emergency response teams in the community – like the volunteer fire department – and businesses like KWA radio and SL Ford. Representatives for those groups stood outside grocery store in the community, reminding shoppers of the need at the food bank – and handing them specific lists of what food bank organizers need most. And they were still there when shoppers were done getting groceries, ready and willing to take the donations to the Friendship Centre.
That venture netted the food bank an estimated 400 pounds of food, said Executive Director Lucille Cook. It was enough to ensure the bank won’t have to turn anyone away in January.
On Thursday students at Roland Michener Secondary delivered their mound of groceries to the food bank. It’s one of the highest piles a reporter said he’s seen going to the food bank from the school, and we applaud students for their readiness to get involved with the food bank effort.
But those weren’t the only people from Slave Lake and area that pitched in to help fellow residents face the challenges of the season – and of keeping their families fed. Many groups, organizations and industry representatives showed up with their cheques. Then there was the countless number of individuals who answered the call too, even though most of them did so anonymously.
But the resounding bottom line is that when the going gets tough, the tough in Slave Lake kick their efforts to respond into high gear.
They opened their hearts and just as quickly their wallets to help out those less fortunate, and once again Slave Lakers did it in style. They proved that benevolence can be personified, and that one of the places that it happens the quickest is in Slave Lake, Alberta.
And once again we say without hesitation, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And he lives in Slave Lake.
To all those Santa Clauses who are so ready to lend a hand when they see others in need, may your generosity be returned tenfold, and may you enjoy the best Christmas ever.